The present invention relates to the field of tags that are attachable for identification and/or decorative purposes to personal items, such as key chains, backpacks, laptop computers, cell phones, briefcases, luggage or articles of clothing. More specifically, the present invention relates to such tags wherein the identification and/or decorative elements are replaceable and/or interchangeable magnetic panels.
The use of attachable tags to identify the owner of personal items and/or to enhance their appearance is widespread and growing with the proliferation of portable electronic devices. Such tags have also increasingly become items of personal style, through which the owner can display their interests in sports, music and other aspects of popular culture. For example, a high school athlete might want to have a tag depicting lacrosse sticks attached to his/her sports bag when he/she is participating in a lacrosse match. But the same athlete might want to have his/her bag tag display a basketball when he/she is participating in that sport. It would therefore be advantageous to have a tag in which the identification/decorative elements are interchangeable, so that a single tag could serve multiple purposes and display multiple interests of the owner.
The present invention provides a tag with a composite structure comprising two indicia-bearing magnetic panels, which are removably attachable to a central ferromagnetic metallic plate. In use, the middle metallic plate is retained, while the outer panels can be interchanged to alter the outward appearance of the tag as desired.